What PAP should do

The biggest sign midway through the recent election campaign that the People’s Action Party knew it was in trouble was when none other than the prime minister himself said “sorry” twice at a rally held in the financial district on 3 May 2011.

But if you look carefully at what he said, the errors he admitted were errors of execution or implementation. Nowhere did he concede that any of his government’s policies were wrong or had caused suffering. His promise to “do better the next time” was one of smoother implementation of the same policies, not of changing course.

Furthermore, the specific examples he apologised for were accidents or acts of God that were poorly responded to, such as the escape of Mas Selamat Kastari or the flooding of Orchard Road. The big issues — widening income gap, immigration and preference schemes for foreigners, public housing pricing policy that contains an inherent bias towards escalating prices — he hardly touched on in any substantive way.

I suggest you read the Straits Times article (at left) again and see for yourself.

It was also noticeable that as far as I know, no cabinet minister echoed PM Lee Hsien Loong’s words in the days following. Most of them kept their heads down. As I have told several reporters who asked me for an opinion, I do not know whether

(a) this was an election tactic or genuine on the prime minister’s part, nor

(b) the promise “not to lord it over people” will not be forgotten once the election passed, nor

(c) other ministers will block him from carrying out any meaningful reform, even if Lee was personally sincere about it.

To mean anything, these words have to be backed by action. I think the following ten-point plan should be the minimum proof of sincerity:

The First Manifesto

1. Drop the following ministers from the new cabinet to be formed: Vivian Balakrishnan, Wong Kan Seng, Mah Bow Tan, Lee Kuan Yew.

2. Halve ministerial salaries immediately.

3. Publish the full accounts for the Youth Olympic Games.

4. Henceforth publish the transactional prices at which the Housing and Development Board pays the Singapore Land Authority for land.

5. Henceforth peg selling prices of new public housing as follows:

(a) smaller flats pegged to the mean of the 3nd decile of houshold income;

(b) mid-sized flats pegged to the mean of the 4th and 5th decile of houshold income;

(c) larger flats pegged to the mean of the 6th decile of household income.

6. Complete all urban rail projects on time and initiate construction of two more metro rail lines by the end of the next parliamentary term.

7. Promise to achieve a reduction of the Gini coefficient of household income of Singapore citizen households to 40 by the end of the next parliamentary term, with a longer-term Gini target of something in the mid-30′s. The Gini coefficient of household income is a measure of the income gap between the rich and the poor and a reduction of the Gini coefficient means the shrinking of this income gap; effectively it means lifting people out of poverty and addressing the problems of an escalating cost of living. There are multiple ways of doing this; the exact tools can be left to the government to decide so long as the target is achieved.

8. No increase in the total population (citizens + permanent residents + foreigners) by more than 0.5 percent per annum.

9. Abolish group representation constituencies and create a new, independent Elections Commission with rules as to how to draw up electoral boundaries that are compact and topographically sensible and with voter population in any constituency not to vary by more than 10 percent from the mean of all constituencies.

10. Repeal the Internal Security Act.

The above are what I think will be needed to mollify widespread frustration, and banish scepticism that the apology is just an election gimmick. But do not mistake the ten points for what will satisfy me. These alone will not be enough to win me over. I will want another ten more:

The Second Manifesto

11. Introduce proportional representation for at least one-third of the seats in Parliament.

12. Require all members of parliament to work as such (and as heads of respective town councils) fulltime, except if they take up political appointments in government.

13. Lower the candidature qualification requirements for the presidency.

14. Publish accounts of our sovereign wealth funds.

15. Detach all magistrates, judges and judicial officers from the Executive branch; locate them in a separate Judicial branch overseen by an independent commission responsible to its charter and the President; the commission to have the power to appoint judges. All Supreme Court judges should have fixed tenure to retirement age and no judge shall have renewable terms or term extensions as is presently the case.

16. Set up a comprehensive healthcare safety net

17. Abolish the death penalty

18. Abolish the Societies Act

19. Abolish all censorship, leaving only a rating system in place; abolish collateral controls (e.g. venue licensing, good-behaviour bonds) that make certain rating classifications censorship in all but name; and last but certainly not least,

20. Repeal Section 377A of the Penal Code, and inscribe into the constitution guarantees for non-discrimination on grounds of gender and sexual orientation, in accordance with United Nations human rights standards.

(a) smaller flats pegged to the mean of the 3nd decile of houshold income;

(b) mid-sized flats pegged to the mean of the 4th and 5th decile of houshold income;

(c) larger flats pegged to the mean of the 6th decile of household income.

No wonder you lot are feeling the squeeze of hyper-inflation when you need to compete with cheap foreign labour on third world wages for overpriced "public" housing.

Ironically, if your grossly overpaid leaders are actually enjoying $700, 000 "condominium subsidies" and still having need to resort to frivolous defamation lawsuits (incidentally, the quantum awarded is actually more than sufficient to buy the condo at the original, undiscounted price ) to suppress the release of such information to the public, is it any wonder why they are too disconnected from reality to understand your woes?

Then, after making a simple comment in a magazine, Tang found himself in storm over the HPL scandal. Hotel Properties Limited had given a discount of S$700,000 to Lee Kuan Yew and his son Lee Hsien Loong to buy condominium units. Lee Kuan Yew and his son maintained that this was normal and legal. Tang, during an interview with a Hong Kong based magazine, Asia Weekly, suggested that the case should be referred to the Corruption Practices Investigation Bureau.

"To me," he says, "I was touching on a topic of public interest. Whether, as a matter of public policy, it is legally and morally right for so many people holding high positions, to get deep discounts through ‘guan xi’ (connection) from a public-listed company, which is supposed to maximise returns to its shareholders. And my comment was very fair. Why should this case not be handled like any other case? It was time to stand up to Lee Kuan Yew and say ‘No,’ although he’s very important and his power is awful. But I think someone has to tell him, ‘No.’ I don’t think he must have his way all the time under whatever circumstances.

Indeed, the younger generation who does not have the faintest idea on the significance of Cheng San GRC in 1997 on the history of the Workers' Party (yes, the very party with 6 elected opposition representatives in the next parliament) do not really understand "from whence we came" - the sole party representing alternative voices in the next parliament was almost wiped off the planet 14 years ago.

sbst275

12 May 11, 07:01

mmm...

Everyone has forgotten all about Eunos GRC when Lee Siew Choh stood. He got 48%.

Just as I said if ppl say the PAP is evil, then this thread can't walk the talk. Like I've said, such I've no respect over.

5 yrs to complete a MRT line?? You joking me? NSEWL took 7 yrs to complete, NEL took 7 yrs, CCL took 9 yrs, DTL is expected to take 5 - 8 yrs. Obviously it's demanding something that's not possible unless you want the land to give way due to fast tunnelling works

No increase in citizens by more than 0.5%??? Does that include babies? Never think before typing it at all.. Great job!

iveco

12 May 11, 09:34

They should just resign, especially LKY.

Plastic Bag

12 May 11, 12:19

They should not do anything but further anger the people so that change will truly come 2016.

Vote PAP OUT to Save SG

12 May 11, 12:36

Wong Kan Seng, Mah Bow Tan, Lee Kuan Yew should not be ministers.

Seriously, Lee Kuan Yew is redundant in government.

We’ve had a PAP government in Singapore now for more than fifty years, since 1959. Our ideals, our passion hasn’t changed. But our policies have been updated, our approach has shifted, our style has changed. You know MM’s style. He tells it like it is. When he tells you something, you know exactly what he is thinking and what he is talking about – straight from the shoulder — no ifs, no buts, solid hard talk.

You know – I think you have gotten used to our style. We understand the hard truths, we understand what we need to do, but we cannot do it and we don’t try to do it MM’s style. We do it our way; we spend some time to talk, to explain, to persuade, to understand the difficulties and the hesitations, to overcome some of these working problems, so that we can go in the right strategic direction.

And it’s a difference in generations – generations between MM’s team and my team, generations between your parents and you. And we discuss this often in cabinet, and MM says why don’t you do things in a certain way. Proceed, its important, critical for Singapore. And we say, yes we understand, but please let us do it our way, because we are different from you, and I think Singaporeans – it’s a different generation from the Singaporeans who worked with you and built this Singapore in the 1950s, in the 1960s and ‘70s. So give us time, I think we know what we are doing, we will work with Singaporeans in our own way to deliver results. - Lee Hsien Loong

Lee Kuan Yew holds the rubbish position of "minister mentor" but yet no one gives a shit about his style.

Lee Kuan Yew, stop sucking the blood of public.

Please resign now.

You are a disgrace to Singapore.

alize

12 May 11, 14:06

Originally posted by sbst275:

mmm...

Everyone has forgotten all about Eunos GRC when Lee Siew Choh
stood. He got 48%.

Just as I said if ppl say the PAP is evil, then this thread
can't walk the talk. Like I've said, such I've no respect over.

5 yrs to complete a MRT line?? You joking me? NSEWL took 7 yrs
to complete, NEL took 7 yrs, CCL took 9 yrs, DTL is expected to
take 5 - 8 yrs. Obviously it's demanding something that's
not possible unless you want the land to give way due to fast
tunnelling works

No increase in citizens by more than 0.5%??? Does that include
babies? Never think before typing it at all.. Great
job!

Actually he said to initiate, not to complete, 2 new urban rail projects.

And our the birth rate is not matching our death rate. I have checked this on singstat.gov.sg. For some time, the population increase has been completely imported.

sbst275

12 May 11, 14:09

Originally posted by alize:

Actually he said to initiate, not to complete, 2 new urban rail projects.

And our the birth rate is not matching our death rate. I have checked this on singstat.gov.sg. For some time, the population increase has been completely imported.

wa laoz eh

initiate plans take lagi longer

Do your know the NSEWL was alrdy proposed in the late 1960s? NEL was planned back in 1983!

alize

12 May 11, 14:21

I don't believe doing the studies will take 5 years IF there is political will. Of course these lines didn't take 20-30 years to plan & build at full speed.

Btw I just realized it's such a waste of potential that CCL trains will not run straight through to NEL at Harborfront. Hope don't have to walk far.

Bhw33

12 May 11, 15:12

Limiting foreigners to 0.5% per annum will not be done unless it is
put into the constitution in BLACK n WHITE. If Lee Hsien Loong simply
VERBALLY PROMISES to limit foreigner intake to 0.5%, PAP will secretly
import more and more foreign talent without publicising it.

PAP
thinks that granting near-instant citizenship to foreign talent will
guarantee them votes in the next election. I can tell u that this idea
will backfire.

Once foreign professional citizens from China and
India find that their salary or living conditions no longer lucrative,
they will use their Singapore citizenship to find better pastures in
another country. Perhaps they even know of better pastures in the
countries they come from and they will return to their country a
millionaire holding a Singapore passport to show off to their
compatriots.

In the same way, this goes for naturalised angmo foreign
professionals. Besides all that, with the angmo's ingrained notions of
'human rights', do you think they will vote for PAP dictatorship?

There is nothing like someone who has been born and raised in Singapore.
Most natural born Singapore citizens have an indescribable emotional
sentiment that instinctively tells them that Singapore is their home
and their only home.

No foreigner can fill this role.

If
PAP just promises verbally to limit foreign talent, you can be sure
they will import even more foreign talent. Never trust PAP.

alize

12 May 11, 15:37

You are correct, the operation of the Ministries must be set out by laws of Parliament. Like every developed country in the world. Otherwise they can do what they want.

Quote Cherian George,

First of all, the opposition's presence in the next Parliament still
amounts to less than 7 percent of elected seats. This is at most a
speed bump, not a barrier, on PAP's road to writing or rewriting laws.
Besides, life in Singapore is not just shaped by statutes. It is also
governed through subsidiary regulations and administrative decisions
that don't go through Parliament. As observed decades ago by political
scientist Chan Heng Chee, ours is a political system designed to give
maximum leeway to the executive branch.

sbst275

12 May 11, 15:44

Originally posted by alize:

I don't believe doing the studies will take 5 years IF there is political will. Of course these lines didn't take 20-30 years to plan & build at full speed.

Btw I just realized it's such a waste of potential that CCL trains will not run straight through to NEL at Harborfront. Hope don't have to walk far.

Contary to what many think, many other countries took at least a decade to conceptised a MRT line.

Simply because you've to figure what you plan to do in the future, current developments and how are you going to align the tracks and so on.

sounds easy, but to do it's pretty more than just political will

CCL seriously should not be made into a full loop for now. Even the buses (there's like 4 or 5 svs) to Shenton Way from HBF isn't full either.

alize

12 May 11, 16:16

But if CCL 5 ends at Harborfront, and NEL begins there, don't it make sense to link them up and run it as one line? If you are changing train at Harborfront, there is only one other train to take. Pointless to have an "interchange".

They should give it to a single operator.

I don't mind so much if it's a long journey, but imagine a short trip of 3 stations involving a long walk in the middle.

sbst275

12 May 11, 16:19

The plan is to link up CCL at Promenade.

But if given me the alignment is probably going to be problematic as the PSA port is still around and I figured this CCL wun go near Shenton Way either.

likeyou

12 May 11, 16:24

What PAP should do?

After the GE, I think pm should call all the ministers and mps to go for a retreat and do lots of branstorming and lots of details homeworks.

If after ge still nothing being change to make a better life style for the people, the next ge will be hell for the pap and pm himself.

This is just like a race. Pap are in front, 4 steps behind them is the opposition party. Pap still not scare?

alize

12 May 11, 19:57

Originally posted by sbst275:

The plan is to link up CCL at Promenade.

But if given me the alignment is probably going to be
problematic as the PSA port is still around and I figured this CCL
wun go near Shenton Way either.

I dont't understand what you mean. CCL is Promenade.

NEL is not going anywhere near Promenade, DTL only.

If you ask me DTL is already at Bukit Panjang, should stretch it a few meters to CCK. Take the strain off NSEWL, which I don't believe will improve much after the upgrades.

Almond Cookies

12 May 11, 19:59

If PAP never apologise they will lose more seats.

They apologise to pacify voters.

If not their voerall votes will be lower.

sbst275

12 May 11, 20:03

Originally posted by alize:

I dont't understand what you mean. CCL is Promenade.

NEL is not going anywhere near Promenade, DTL only.

If you ask me DTL is already at Bukit Panjang, should stretch it a few meters to CCK. Take the strain off NSEWL, which I don't believe will improve much after the upgrades.

tat's why ops details not many ppl know.

The plan is to make e CCL a real circle by linking HBF with Bayfront & Promenade, leaving Dhoby Ghaut - Promenade a spur line. But right now I dun think it makes sense to build either.

Well, there's e BPLRT. It also helps to better utilised both LRT directions, right now I believe it's pretty bias where trains are packed to CCK, empty into Bt Panjang.

alize

12 May 11, 20:43

Really? How do you know this?

BPLRT is time-wasting, slow, low capacity and breakdown prone. I believe linking DTL to CCK is very logical, after Gali Batu it can follow the KJE to CCK.

sbst275

12 May 11, 20:45

Originally posted by alize:

Really? How do you know this?

BPLRT is time-wasting, slow, low capacity and breakdown prone. I believe linking DTL to CCK is very logical, after Gali Batu it can follow the KJE to CCK.

In fact if you noticed the Int layout at Promenade, it resembles City Hall & Raffles Place. So defintely there's another cross interchange planned w/ DTL.

Well, the thing is since there's BPLRT and loading is pretty lobsided for now, make full use of it.